Dick always came to our DML breakfasts, camera in hand, with photos
from previous years to show. His ever-present Gen. Montgomery beret
made him stand out in the SVP crowd, along with his friendly demeanor
and obvious enthusiasm for all things to do with paleontology. The last
few years, he brought a voice recorder with him and could be seen
"talking to himself" about happenings at the meetings. Dick always
generously shared these observations/meeting histories, and I know that
he donated a number of his meeting pictures to the SVP archives.

I am truly sorry to hear this. Dick will be terribly missed. Dick was
always
so up-beat and super friendly at all the SVP meetings I've attended. He
always had wonderful things to share with all of us, especially at our
DML
breakfasts. My sympathies to all his family and friends.

Dick Peirce passed away Dec. 17 in Grand Junction, CO, due to
complications
from a previous surgery. Dick taught biology at Pasadena Community
College
for more than 30 years. He was an enthusiastic member of SVP, a
seven-year
volunteer at the Museum of Western Colorado, and specialized in picking,
sorting, and preparing microvertebrate fossils. Over the years, Dick was
very active in collecting at the Fruita Paleo Area, Como Bluff, and the
Black Hills, where he would spend many hours breaking rock in search of
mammals, lizards, sphenodontids, and other less glamorous members of the
Morrison fauna. A memorial service will be held sometime in the spring
of
2008. Letters and thoughts to be passed on to his wife Nancy may be
sent to
the Museum of Western Colorado, 550 Jurassic Court, Fruita, Colorado
81521.